The present patent application relates to an apparatus for lifting and dropping a drop hammer to be used in a crushing or compaction process, comprising
a vertical cylinder, in which said drop hammer is lifted and dropped; PA1 winch equipment and cables connected thereto for lifting said drop hammer; PA1 a quick-release anchoring device for fastening said drop hammer to the cables of the winch. PA1 latches that may be hydraulically falling into catch around a bolt mounted on top of the drop hammer, for the lift and released for the free drop of said drop hammer.
The apparatuses already known, as the apparatuses disclosed in patent applications FI 853869 and DE 2120517 have the problem of having a lift cable stationarily attached to the drop hammer, which cable again slows down the free drop of said drop hammer and is easily worn out. Moreover, the energy required for the acceleration of the cable reel reduces the efficiency of the apparatus. The problem with these apparatuses is also that the cable reel rolls even after the drop hammer has reached the bottom. The rolling causes excessive loosening of the cable on the reel, slowing down the next lift. The loose cable rolls unevenly on the reel wearing thus quickly out (ripping up).
In the previous hammering apparatuses, the hammering of pipes and piles has been arranged by freely dropping drop hammers which are released either mechanically or by pulling on a rope. The mechanically releasable drop hammer must, as becomes apparent in Swedish patent SE 223 278, always be lifted to a certain predetermined height for dropping, whereby the dropping height and the dropping power in these apparatuses may not be adjusted.
The hammering apparatuses, in which the drop hammers are dropped by pulling on a rope, as in apparatuses disclosed in Finnish patent FI 21988 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,030 are slow and require a person next to the machine to release the drop hammer for the free drop, which may be both unpleasant and dangerous.
Apparatuses allowing the free drop and being durable and light enough for lifting and dropping the drop hammer have so far not occurred in the market.
A characterizing feature of an apparatus for lifting and dropping a drop hammer in accordance with the present invention for solving the above described problems is that the quick-release anchoring device therein comprises
By using the apparatus in accordance with the invention it is possible to arrange the dropping of the drop hammer to hydraulically take place from a working machine. By using the apparatus in accordance with the invention it is even possible to lift and drop a large drop hammer.